The new Engineering Education and Design Center at the University of Maine will be named for Skowhegan natives E. James “Jim” Ferland and Eileen P. Ferland, whose $10 million investment will help construct the facility.

Skowhegan couple donates $10M toward UMaine engineering center

The new facility, called the E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, will be named in honor of the couple.

Author:
Bob Evans

Published:
7:27 PM EDT September 13, 2019

Updated:
7:27 PM EDT September 13, 2019

ORONO, Maine — A Skowhegan couple is the formerly anonymous donor of a $10 million investment to help construct the Engineering Education and Design Center at the University of Maine.

The announcement was made by UMaine Foundation President and CEO Jeffery Mills on Thursday at the UMaine Alumni Association 2019 Reunion dinner on campus, where Jim Ferland was celebrating his 55th class reunion.

The new facility, called the E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, will be named in honor of the couple.

The Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center (EEDC) will house the Biomedical Engineering Program and Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as teaching laboratories for mechanical engineering technology, and provide space for all UMaine engineering majors to complete their senior capstone projects.

“We are pleased to make a contribution toward improving the infrastructure at UMaine, and hope others will be encouraged to join in bringing this important project to the finish line,” Jim Ferland said.

The E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center (EEDC) will house the Biomedical Engineering Program and Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as teaching laboratories for mechanical engineering technology, and provide space for all UMaine engineering majors to complete their senior capstone projects.

UMaine

UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said, “This new facility will help fulfill a critical need by educating engineers for Maine and beyond, and it aligns with the University of Maine System plan for research and development.”

The university's release states the groundbreaking for the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center is planned in spring 2020, with anticipated completion in 2022.